Habitat utilization and home range of the redwing francolin, Francolinus levaillantii, in highland grasslands, Mpumalanga province, South Africa

The effects of intensive commercial livestock farming on the distribution a nd habitat use of the redwing francolin, Francolinus levaillantii, was inve stigated to identify habitat constraints that may contribute towards the ob served decline of this species on livestock farms. Data on the size, placem ent of the home ranges and compositional habitat use from ten radio-tracked individuals, five in commercially grazed (and frequently burned) and five in protected (and infrequently burned) highland grasslands, was collated to determine habitat preferences. Mean home range size within protected and g razed grassland study sites were similar and ranged between 7.6 and 15.4 he ctares. However, habitat use by groups in grazed grasslands was restricted to areas of greater cover and food availability. Group sizes were significa ntly larger in protected (mean 3.77, n = 111 coveys) than in grazed and fre quently burned grassland (mean = 2.96, n = 135 coveys). Smaller coveys in g razed habitats had smaller home ranges and were further spaced from one ano ther. It is therefore suggested that habitat degradation, through excessive defoliation of the grassland from heavy grazing and frequent burning, both fragments francolin subpopulations and reduces the ecological availability of suitable habitat. Thus, undermining the metapopulation structure of the redwing francolin in these commercially grazed grasslands.